ONCIS 
WHIST. 




G V 



CONCISE WHIST. 



THE PRINCIPLES OF MODERN WHIST 



AS 



MODIFIED BY AMERICAN LEADS 



PRESENTED IN A 



SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL FORM. v_ \ . . . 

^^^^ ^ X^^^^ ^ ^ - O ' 

q ^ ______ / COPYR/Q/y;: • - 

PUBLISHED BY 

THE SALEM PRESS PUBLISHING AND PRINTING CO. 

1890. 



Copyright, 1890, 
by salem press publishing and printing co. 



PREFACE. 



The method of play adopted in this work, is in 
accord with the established principles of modern 
whist, as given by standard authorities, such as Clay^ 
Cavendish and others, modified by such American 
leads as have met with general acceptance. 

The authors of this book have aimed to present 
these principles in a form which is concise and prac- 
tical, and which cannot fail to be appreciated among 
those who have been deterred from studying the 
game by the amount of matter usually contained in 
other works on this subject. 

C. S. S. 



CONTENTS. 



Sec. 


I. 


Established Laws of Whist 


7 


Sec. 


II. 


Introductory Remarks on Leads 


13 


Sec. 


III. 


Leads of the Ace 


15 


Sec. 


IV. 


Leads of the King 


17 


Sec. 


V. 


Leads of the Queen . 


20 


Sec. 


VI. 


Leads of the Knave . 


22 


Sec. 


VII. 


Leads of the Ten 


24 


Sec. VIII. 


Lead of the Fourth Best 


27 


Sec. 


IX. 


Forced Leads .... 


30 


Sec. 


X. 


Leads in Trumps 


32 


Sec. 


XI. 


Reference Table of Leads 


37 


Sec. 


XII. 


Second Hand Play 


3S 


Sec. XIII. 


Third Hand Play 


42 


Sec. XIV. 


Unblocking .... 


44 



CONTENTS. 



Sec. XV. Discard 47 

Sec. XVI. Trump Signal and Echo . . 49 
Sec. XVII. Ruffing or Trumping in, and 

Forcing . . . .52 
Sec.XVIII. General Remarks on the Game 54 
Sec. XIX. Illustrative Hands . . .59 



SECTION I. 



THE ESTABLISHED LAWS OF WHIST. 

1. A rubber of whist is the best of three games. 
If the same players win the first two games, the third 
is not played. 

2. A game consists of five points, each trick 
above six counting one point. 

3. Ace, King, Queen and Knave of trumps are 
called Honours. They are scored as follows : — 

Four Honours held by partners, either sep- 
arately or together, count four points. 
Three Honours count two points. 
Two Honours do not count. 

4. Those players, who, at the beginning of the 
deal, are at the score of four, cannot count Hon- 
ours. 

(7) 



8 



CONCISE WHIST. 



5. In scoring, a revoke counts first, tricks next, 
and Honours last. 

6. Honours to be counted must be claimed be- 
fore the trump card of the following deal has been 
turned. 

7. The winners gain : — 

A Treble, or game of three points, when 
their adversaries have not scored. 

A Double, or game of two points, when 
their adversaries have scored one or two. 

A Single, or game of one point, when their 
adversaries have scored three or four. 

8. The winners of the rubber score two addi- 
tional points, commonly called rubber points. 

9. As an example of keeping the score : — A 
and B are playing against X and K A and B win 
the first game by a score of 5-2, counting a Double, 
or two points on the final score. X and Fwin the 
next game, 5-0, counting a Treble, or three points 
on the final score. The score now stands, A and^, 



CONCISE WHIST. 



9 



2. X and y, ^, A and B now win the third game, 
5-4, counting a Single, or one point on the final 
score, and thus winning the rubber. The score 
would now stand, A and B, 3. Xand V, 3. But 
A and B, having won the rubber, add the two rubber 
points, making the final score, A and B, 5. Xand 

By those who wish to keep their score in the 
strictly conventional way, this must be recorded as 
follows : — X and Y's score is deducted from that 
of A and B, whereupon it appears that A and B 
have won a " rubber of two." As the individual rec- 
ord of each player is kept, it is plain that if A and 
B have each won two points, X and Y have lost 
them ; therefore A and B score a plus two, and X 
and y, a minus two, thus : 

^ + 2. 

B + 2. 
X— 2. 
y— 2. 

Upon cutting for the next rubber, should A and 



lO 



CONCISE WHIST. 



X become partners and score two Trebles against 
B and Ys Single, the score for that rubber would 
stand A and 8, B and Y,\, ox A and JTwin a 
^' rubber of seven." Therefore A and Xeach add 
a plus seven to their scores, B and a minus sev- 
en, the score standing thus, at the end of the second 
rubber : — 

^ + 9. 

F-9. 

By this method of scoring, the plus total and the 
minus total must always be equal, and the individ- 
ual score is retained. 

10. '' At the beginning of each rubber, players cut 
for partners, the two lowest playing against the two 
highest, and the lowest one dealing. Ace cut is 
low. 

1 1 . Deal to the left, one card at a time. The last 
card is the trump, and should be left face up on the 



CONCISE WHIST. 



II 



table, until after the dealer has played to the first 
trick. 

12. A misdeal loses the deal. Not however, if, 
durmg the dealing, either of the adversaries touches 
the cards before the dealer's partner has done so ; 
should the latter have first interfered with the cards, 
on the other hand, the deal is lost. 

13. Tt is a revoke when a player, holding one or 
more cards of a suit led, plays a card of a different 
suit. At the end of the hand, as a penalty for a re- 
voke, the adversaries either can take from the re- 
voking player three tricks, or deduct three points 
from his score (in that game) , or add three points 
to their own. This penalty can be exacted for as 
many times as the revoke occurs in the hand. 

14. All exposed cards are liable to be called and 
must be left on the table. Examples of exposed 
cards : two or more cards played at once ; or any 
card dropped face upward on the table or shown 
above the table, even though its value is not seen. 



12 CONCISE WHIST. 

A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere is not ex- 
posed. 

15. In calling a card, either of the adversaries 
orders it to be played by the person exposing it up- 
on his^ turn to play to the trick. A player, however, 
cannot be compelled to revoke by such play. 



SECTION II. 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON LEADS. 

Lead originally from your strong suit ; this is us- 
ually your longest. 

Avoid leading from a suit of less than four cards ; 
in choosing between two strong suits however, one 
of four may be better to lead from than one of five, 
as when it contains several high cards. 

As your partner expects you to lead from strength, 
never lead a suit in which you have but one card. 

Remember that your object is to estabHsh your 
own and your partner's long suit and to prevent your 
adversaries from estabhshing theirs. 

Note. — Your suit is said to be established 
when, after one or more rounds, you remain 
with the commanding cards. 

As your long suit will probably run but twice, be- 
fore being trumped, your object must be to make 
one or both of those tricks. 

(13) 



14 



CONCISE WHIST. 



In many cases it will be observed that in leading 
a second time from your strong suit, the selection of 
the card to be led is governed by the number of 
cards that you held in that suit originally. This 
principle, however, only applies to those cases where 
you remain, after your first lead, with two high in- 
different cards in that suit. In such cases, to play 
the higher indifferent card indicates a less number 
in suit than to play the lower one, and vice versa. 
Indifferent cards are cards having the same value, 
/. the Ace having been played, if you hold both 
Queen and Knave, they are indifferent cards, as 
either must force the King. Also, when Queen has 
been played, King and Knave in the same hand are 
indifferent cards. 

In the Analyses of Leads, the following abbrevia- 
tions are used : — 

For Ace, King, Queen, Knave, A. K. Q. 
Kn. 

For cards smaller than the Ten, x. 
Thus, Ace, Knave and three small cards are 
expressed, A. Kn. x. x. x. 



SECTION III. 
Sections III to VII, inclusive, have reference to 
leads from plain suits only. 

LEADS OF THE ACE. 

The Ace is always led from suits of five or more 
cards when it is not accompanied by both King and 
Queen. 

The Ace is also led from suits of less than five 
cards when it is accompanied by both Queen and 
Knave. 

ANALYSIS. 

From Lead 
A. K. X. X. X. (or more) A. then K. 

A. Q. Kn. Ten (alone or with more) A. " Ten. 
A. Q. Kn. X. X. (or more) A. Kn. 

A. Q. Kn. (alone or with one) A. Q. 

From all suits of five or more cards not included 
in the above, play Ace, then follow with your origi- 
nal fourth best. 

(15) 



6 



CONCISE WHIST. 



QUESTIONS ON THE LEAD OF THE ACE. 

Your partner leads 

A. then K. What has he? 
A. " Q. « " 

A. " Kn. " " " 
A. " Ten. " " " 

Your partner leads A. then Nine. 

You hold K. and Kn. What has he ? 

Your partner leads A. then Eight. 

You hold K. Q. Nine. What has he? 



SECTION IV. 



UEADS OF THE KING. 

King is led, only when it occurs with either Ace 
or Queen, and never from suits of more than four 
cards. 



ANALYSIS. 

From Lead 

A. K. X. K. then A. 

A. K. X. X. K. " A. 

A. K. Q. X. ^ K. " Q. 

A. K. Q. Kn. K. " Kn. 

Note. — In the last case, King winning the 
trick marks the Ace in your hand ; you then 
lead Knave to mark Queen also. 

2 (17) 



i8 

From 
K. Q. Kn. X. 
K, Q. Kn. Ten. 
K. Q. X. X. 
K. Q. X. 



CONCISE WHIST. 



Lead 
K. then Kn. 
K. " Ten. 
K. 
K. 



Note. — In the last two cases, if the King 
wins, your partner probably has the Ace ; you 
then lead a low card to enable him to make it. 

Observe, that while the lead of the Ace gener- 
ally signifies five or more cards in suit, the lead of 
the King signifies not more than four. 



CONCISE WHIST. 



19 



QUESTIONS ON THE LEAD OF THE KING. 

Your partner leads 
K. then A. What has he? 
K. " Q. " " 

K. " Kn. " " 
K. " Ten. " " 

our partner leads K. then Eight. 

You hold A. Kn. Ten. What has he? 

our partner leads K. then seven. 

You hold A. Kn. Nine, Eight. What has he ? 



SECTION v: 



LEADS OF THE QUEEN. 

The Queen led from your strong suit means, 
either that you have five or more cards in that suit, 
with both Ace and King, or King alone ; or, five or 
less, with both Knave and Ten. 

ANALYSIS. 

From Lead 

A. K. Q. X. X. X. (or more) Q. then K. 

A. K. Q. X. X. Q. " A. 

K. Q. X. X. X. (or more) Q. 

Note. — If Queen wins, follow with your orig- 
inal fourth best. If Queen does not win, fol- 
low with King. 

From Lead . 

Q. Kn. Ten. Nine. Q. then Nine. 

Q. Kn. Ten. x. Q. " Kn. 

Q. Kn. Ten. x. x. (or more) Q. " Ten. 

(20) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



21 



QUESTIONS ON THE LEAD OF THE QUEEN. 

What two combinations of cards may the lead of 
the Queen indicate ? 

Your partner leads 
Q. then A. What has he ? 
Q. K. " " " 

Q. " Kn. " " 

Q. " Ten. " " 
Q. " Nine. " " 



SECTION VI. 



LEADS OF THE KNAVE. 



It was formerly the custom to lead Knave from 
Knave, Ten, Nine and others, but this lead has now 
generally been abandoned. According to the best 
authorities, the lead of the Knave to-day means at 
least five cards in suit and always includes the com- 
bination of King and Queen. 



Knave may be lead as the highest of a weak suit, 
but this will be noticed under forced leads. 



ANALYSIS. 

From 

A. K. Q. Kn. X. x. (or more) 
A. K. Q. Kn. X. 



Kn. then K. 
Kn. " A. 



Lead 



From 

K. Q. Kn. X. X. X. (or more) 
K. Q. Kn. X. X. 



Kn. then Q. 
Kn. " K. 



Lead 



(22) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



23 



QUESTIONS ON THE LEAD OF THE KNAVE. 

Your partner leads 
Kn. then A. What has he ? 
Kn. " K. " " 
Kn. " Q. " " 

The lead of the Knave signifies what two other 
high cards in suit? 

The lead of the Knave signifies how many cards 
in suit ? 



SECTION VII. 



LEADS OF THE TEN. 

The Ten is led only from those suits in which it 
occurs with both the King and Knave. 

In leading a suit the second time, from which 
you have led the Ten originally, the principle of the 
two high indifferent cards (see page 14) is espec- 
ially applicable, /. <?., to lead the lower signifies a 
greater number than to lead the higher. 

ANALYSIS. 

From Lead 
K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. x. x (or more) Ten. 

if it wins, lead Kn. 
K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. x. Ten. 

if it wins, lead Q. 
K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. Ten. 

if it wins, lead K. 

(24) 



CONCISE WHIST. 2$ 

From Lead 
K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. x. (or more) Ten. 

if A. is forced, lead Kn. 
K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. Ten. 

if A. is forced, lead Q. 

From Lead 
K. Kn. Ten. x. (or more) Ten. 

if it wins, lead the fourth best.- 
K. Kn. Ten. x. (or more) Ten. 

if A. is forced, lead K. 
K. Kn. Ten. x. x. (or more) Ten. 

if it forces Q., or Q. and A., lead Kn. 
K. Kn. Ten. x. Ten. 

if it forces Q., or Q. and A., lead K. 



26 



CONCISE WHIST. 



QUESTIONS ON THE LEAD OF THE TEN. 

Your partner leads 
Ten. and wins, then Kn. What has he? 

n a n (( Q (( (( (( 

Your partner leads 
Ten. and forces A. then leads Kn. What has he? 

Your partner leads 

Ten. and forces Q. or both Q. and A. then leads 

Kn. What has he ? 
Ten. and forces Q. or both Q. and A. then leads K. 

What has he ? 



SECTION VIII. 



LEAD OF THE FOURTH BEST CARD. 

If your strong suit contains none of the combi- 
nations already given, lead your fourth best card ; 
this shows your partner that you have remaining in 
your suit, three cards higher than the one led. 

Upon regaining the lead, your suit not being es- 
tablished, continue with your next lower card, if 
there were originally five in the suit ; your partner 
will still count in your hand three cards higher than 
the one first led. 

Thus, with Queen, Ten, Eight, Seven, Five, lead 
Seven (your fourth best) . If King and Ace do not 
both fall, your suit is not estabhshed, and by con- 
tinuing with the Five, you show that you have still 
three cards left higher than the Seven. 

(27) 



28 



CONCISE WHIST. 



THE FOURTH BEST AS A SECOND LEAD. 

When you are obliged to follow your first lead of 
a high card with a low one, you select your original 
fourth best. Thus, from Ace, Queen, Nine, Eight, 
Two, lead Ace, then Eight (your original fourth 
best) . Your partner will at once credit you with 
two cards higher than the Eight. 

Again, your partner leads Ace, then Nine, you 
holding King and Knave. The only two cards high- 
er than the Nine which he can hold, are the Queen 
and Ten, and by observing the low cards that are 
played to those two tricks, the probable location of 
every card in the suit will be known. 



CONCISE WHIST. 



29 



QUESTIONS ON THE LEAD OF THE FOURTH BEST. 

Your partner is supposed to lead from strength 
and not a forced lead. 

Your partner leads 

Nine, you hold Ace. What has he ? 

Eight. " " K. Kn. " " " 

Seven. " A. K. Kn. What may he have ? 

Your partner leads K. then Eight ; you hold A. 
Kn. 

What two combinations may he have ? 



SECTION IX. 



FORCED LEADS. 

It often happens that your strong suit has been 
led by your adversaries or partner, and that you are 
compelled to lead another suit wherein you have 
but three cards ; this is called a forced lead. 

If your forced lead is from a combination of Ace 
and two small, King and two small, or Queen and 
two small, lead your lowest card if you have no in- 
dication that your partner is strong in that suit. 
Lead your highest, if you have indication that he is 
strong. 

In other combinations lead your highest card, 
thus : — 

From Lead 
Q. Kn. Four. Q. 
Kn. Ten. Seven. Kn. 
Nine. Six. Three. Nine. 

(30) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



31 



The lead of the Nme in the last case might be 
misunderstood for a lead from strength, but upon 
the second round of that suit, if you play a smaller 
card, your partner noting the fall of high cards from 
adversaries, will not credit you with strength. 



SECTION X. 



THE LEAD OF TRUMPS. 

It is generally advisable to lead trumps with five 
in suit and sometimes with only four or three, as 
when you hold commanding cards in at least two 
suits, or when your own or your partner's suit is es- 
tablished. 

Trumps are also led from weakness (three or 
four) as a forced lead, to prevent your adversaries 
from ruffing. 

The lead of trumps is to enable you to exhaust 
those of*your adversaries and to establish your own 
and your partner's strong suits. Having taken your 
partner's lead of trumps you must return it at once ; 
if you fail to take the trick, return it as soon as pos- 
sible. 

The same combination in trumps often requires a 
different lead than in plain suits, because as trumps 
(32) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



33 



must win upon their merits, you can afford to play 
a more backward game. 

In all combinations containing Ace, King, Queen 
and others, the leads are the same as in plain suits. 
Those leads are here repeated. 

ANALYSIS. 



From 


Lead 


A. K. Q. Kn. X. x. 


Kn. then K. 


A. K. Q. Kn. X. 


Kn. " A. 


A. K. Q. Kn. 


K. " Kn. 


A. K. Q. X. X. X. (or more). 


Q. " K. 


A. K. Q. X. X. 


Q. " A. 


A. K. Q. X. 


K. Q. 



Note. — With Ace, King and small cards, 
lead Ace, then King having seven in suit. All 
the remaining trumps may fall to these two 
rounds, if not, a third round will probably ex- 
haust them. Frequently however, when three 
rounds of trumps are desired, it is better to 
lead out Ace and King, with less than seven in 
suit. (Ace first with more than four.) 



34 



CONCISE WHIST. 



In all combinations containing Ace, Queen, Knave 
and two or more others, the leads are the same as in 
plain suits. 

ANALYSIS. 

From Lead 
A. Q. Kn. Ten. x. (or more) A. then Ten. 

A. Q. Kn. X. X. (or more) A. " Kn. 

In all combinations containing King, Queen, 
Knave and others, the leads are the same as in plain 
suits. 

ANALYSIS. 

From Lead 

K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. x. (or more) Ten. then Kn. 

K. Q. Kn. Ten. x. Ten. " Q. 

K. Q. Kn. X. X, X. (or more) Kn. Q. 

K. Q. Kn. X. X. Kn. K. 

K. Q. Kn. X. K. Kn. 

It will be observed that an Honour is not led 
in trumps except from a high sequence of three 
cards, or from a suit of at least five cards, with two 



CONCISE WHIST. 



35 



Honours in sequence : thus, with A. K. x. x., or K. 
Q. X. X. in trumps, lead a low card, the reverse of 
the plain suit lead. 

In leading from a suit headed by Q. Kn. Ten., it 
is better to lead your fourth best as a rule. Here 
however, your lead may be modified by the trump 
card, as when Nine is turned to your right. In such 
a case to lead a low card might allow your adversary 
to make the Nine, therefore the Q. would be the 
proper lead. 

In many other cases also, where, according to rule, 
a low card would be led, it is advantageous to lead 
a card higher than the trump card. Here no defi- 
nite rule can be applied ; the choice of cards must 
depend upon the judgment of each individual 
player. 



SECTION XI. 



REFERENCE TABLE OF PLAIN SUIT LEADS. 

First and second leads are given. 
Where the plain suit lead is also the trump lead, 
it is marked in larger type. 

(36) 



HAVING IN 
SUIT. 


7 

CARDS. 


6 

CARDS. 


5 

CARDS. 


4 

CARDS. 


A. K. Q. Kn. 


Kn.-Q. 


Kn.-K. 


Kn.-A. 


K.-Kn. 


A. K. Q. 


Q.-K. 


Q.-K. 


Q.-A. 


K.-A. 


A. K. 


A.-K. 


A.-K. 


A.-K. 


K.-A. 


A. Q. Kn. 10. 


A.-IO. 


A.-IO. 


A.-IO. 


A.-IO. 


A. Q. Kn. 


A.-Kn. 


A.-Kn. 


A.-Kn. 


A.-Q, 


K. Q. Kn. 10. 


*10-Kn. 


*10-Q. 


*10-K. 


K.-IO. 




tlO-Kn. 


tlO-K. 


tlO-Q. 




K. Q. Kn. 


Kn.-Q. 


Kn.-Q. 


Kn.-K. 


K.-Kn. 


K. Q. 


Q.-K. 


Q.-K. 


Q.-K. 


K.-Q. 


K. Kn. 10. 


*10-4th 
best. 


*10-4:th 

best. 


*10-4th 
best. 


*10-4th 
best. 




tlO-Kn. 


JlO-Kn. 


JlO-Kn. 


tlO-K. 




flO-K. 


flO-K. 


flO-K. 


flO-K. 


Q. Kn. 10. 9. 


Q.-9. 


Q.-9. 


Q.-9. 


Q.-9. 


Q. Kn. 10. 


Q.-IO. 

1 


Q-10. 


Q.-IO. 


Q.-Kn. 


* If it wins. t If it forces Ace. 
I If it forces Queen, or Queen and Ace. 



(37) 



SECTION XII. 



SECOND HAND PLAY. 

As a general rule in all suits, play your lowest card 
second hand. 

You must remember that your adversary is trying 
to establish his long suit in which you must not aid 
him j however, you must not sacrifice tricks with this 
end in view, therefore : — 

With certain combinations of high cards, you do 
not play your lowest second hand. 

With a high sequence, you play the lowest of the 



sequence, thus : 

In all suits, from Play 

A. K. Q. (alone or with others) Q. 

K. Q. Kn. " " Kn. 

Q. Kn. Ten. " " " Ten. 

In all suits, from Play 

A. K. Kn. (alone or with others) K. 
(38) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



39 



If your adversary led from Queen, which is prob- 
able, you still have the chance of making both Ace 
and Knave on the return of that suit. 

F^^om Play 
A. K. (alone or with others) K. in plain suits. 
A. K. X. (or more) K. in trumps. 

This you do if you wish to stop the lead of 
trumps ; otherwise pass it as the chances of taking 
it are equal between third hand and your partner. 

In all suits ^ f7'077i Play 
A. Q. Ten. Ten. 
A. Q. Ten. Nine. Nine. 

If the sequence is extended beyond the Nine, as 
Nine, Eight, or Nine, Eight, Seven, play the lowest 
of the sequence. 

In all suits ^ from Play 
A. Q. X. (or more) Lowest. 

If, playing second hand, you hold high cards, 
your object should be to make at least one of them. 



40 



CONCISE WHIST. 



and you must so adapt your play, always playing the 
lowest of a sequence. With this idea in view, the 
plays from the following combinations will naturally 
suggest themselves. 



In all suits, from Play 
A. Kn. Ten. Ten. 
K. Q. X. Q. 
K. Kn. Ten. Ten. 
Q. Kn. X. Kn. 
Kn. Ten. x. Ten. 



If you hold no other Honour but the Ace, play it 
second hand on an Honour led. 

If you hold any other Honour than the Ace, pass 
second hand if an Honour is led. 

If a high card is led, and you hold the fourchette, 
/. the next higher, and the next lower card, it is 
generally right to cover. Thus : — 

From Flay 
K. Kn. when Q. is led, K. 
Q. Ten. Kn" " Q. 



CONCISE WHIST. 



41 



In these two cases Q. or Kn. could only be led as 
forced leads, or, in trumps, in response to a signal. 

From A. x., K. x., Q. x., play the small card al- 
ways in plain suits. Sometimes it is better to play 
the high one in trumps. 

When Nine is led, presumably from King, Knave, 
Ten, Nine, if you hold Queen and one small, play 
Queen. If your partner holds the Ace, this play 
saves it. If third hand holds Ace, you lose in either 
case. 

Upon the second round of a suit, when you nat- 
urally would play the commanding card, it is some- 
times advisable not to do so, especially if you are 
strong in trumps, as by retaining the command of 
your adversary's long suit, you may be better able 
to make your own. 



SECTION XIII. 



THIRD HAND PLAY. 

As a rule, when playing to take the trick, play 
your highest card third hand. 

Do not finesse in your partner's long suit ; except 
with Ace and Queen, play Queen, and with Ace, 
Queen and Knave, play Knave. If either wins, re- 
turn the Ace at once. 

Always play the lowest of a sequence, or in other 
words, take the trick as cheaply as you can. 

If you have reason to think that your partner has 
led a forced lead, as when he opens a second suit, 
or a suit late in hand, you must use your own judg- 
ment whether to finesse or not. 

Having taken your partner's lead of his strong 
suit, and having the command, you return it at once, 
before opening your own suit. To return his suit at 
once, in any other way, signifies, either that it is 
your strong suit, or that you have no more of it, with 
(42) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



43 



no very strong suit of your own, and are willing to 
trump. 

When you return your partner's strong suit, if you 
hold but two cards in it, lead the higher one ; if you 
have three or more, and not the command, return 
him the lowest, subject always to the principle of 
unblocking. [Sec. XIV.] 

If you held originally four cards of your partner's 
strong suit, and, in the course of play, have been 
obliged to discard one, and have played another to 
your partner's lead, having but two remaining in your 
hand when you return it to him, you treat it as a 
weak suit, and return the higher card. 



SECTION XIV. 



UNBLOCKING. 

To unblock means to get rid of those cards in 
your partner's long suit (without sacrificing tricks) 
which would prevent his continuing it, retaining a 
small one with which to return him the lead (if nec- 
essary), and enable him to make the remaining 
cards in his suit. 

Unblocking may be variously practised during the 
hand, as when your partner leads Knave, supposably 
from King, Queen, Knave and two or more small. 
If you hold Ace and a low one, you play Ace, return- 
ing the low one. Or you may unblock by discard- 
ing a high card of your partner's otherwise established 
suit. 

But as a rule, you should begin to unblock upon 
your partner's lead, whenever you have four cards in 
his suit. As such play will only be of benefit when 
he has five or more, you do not unblock upon the 

(44) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



45 



lead of a King, as King is never led from five. There- 
fore, holding four cards in your partner's suit, and 
not playing to take the trick, play, not your lowest, 
but the next one above it. Upon the second round, 
play your second best, still retaining the small card. 
If the second round has shown that your partner has 
led from four only, it is useless to continue unblock- 
ing, and you play the small card to the third round 
(if you do not play to take the trick). This is not 
a trump signal. [See Sec. XVI.] 

For example : You hold King, Ten, Eight, Two ; 
your partner leads Ace and you play Eight. He fol- 
lows with Queen, showing but four in suit ; to avoid 
signalling, you are obliged to continue with the Ten. 
But no harm is done, as you remain with King and 
Two, and he has Knave and one small. 

Again, you hold King, Ten, Eight, Two : your 
partner leads Ace and you play Eight. He then 
leads Six and you take with King. When you return 
him the suit you play the Ten. He remains with 
two cards, and you with one which cannot block his 



46 



CONCISE WHIST. 



suit. Trumps being out, he will probably make both 
his cards. 

Or your partner leads Ace, then King, showing 
five in suit. If you hold Queen, Nine, Seven, Three, 
you play first Seven, then Nine. If trumps are later 
exhausted you can make the third trick with your 
Queen, and still have the Three, with which to give 
your partner the lead. If you had played first Three, 
then Seven, then Queen, and both Knave and Ten 
had fallen, your Nine would make the fourth trick, 
but your partner, unless holding a high card in another 
suit, with which to regain the lead, could never make 
his fifth card. 

As Ace, Queen, Knave are all led from suits of 
five, it is proper to begin to unblock upon those 
leads. 



SECTION XV. 



DISCARD. 

Your first discard should be from your weakest 
suit. 

In following this rule, however, you should not 
discard a card that may possibly win a trick ; thus, 
having Queen, Knave, Ten, you would not discard 
the Ten. It would here be better to discard a low 
card from your strong suit. Nor must you leave a 
high card unprotected, /. holding, Ace, King or 
Queen, with one small, do not discard the small 
card. 

Do not discard from your weakest suit, however, 
when your adversaries lead trumps. 

Your object now is to show your partner either 
your strong suit, or the one in which you have the 
best chance of making tricks ; therefore you discard 
from the suit which you wish led. This you can af- 

(47) 



48 



CONCISE WHIST. 



ford to do, as you would probably not make the 
whole suit, with trumps declared against you. 

If your partner leads trumps, and you have a very 
strong suit, you can easily inform him which suit it 
is, by discarding a card apiece from the other two. 



SECTION XVI. 



TRUJSIP SIGNAL AND ECHO. 
TRUMP SIGNAL. 

A trump signal is the play of an unnecessarily high 
card, followed by a lower card in the same suit ; 
it must be given upon the first two rounds of the 
suit. If, however, the player signalling has been 
obliged to play a high card on one of those two 
rounds in order to take the trick, it may be finished 
on the third round. 

Remember that the first card must be unneces- 
sarily high, and not played as a finesse ; thus, a low 
card is led, and second hand holds Knave, Ten and 
one small ; he plays the Ten. This is the only play 
that can benefit his or his partner's hand. Here the 
Ten is not unnecessarily high, therefore when the 
lower card falls on the second round of the suit, it is 
not a trump signal. 

It would have been a signal, had he played the 

(49) 



50 



CONCISE WHIST. 



Ten and then the low one to his adversary's lead of 
the King and Ace. 

The trump signal may be given on a discard, as 
when you discard two cards of a suit, the higher one 
first. 

It is likewise a signal for trumps when you refuse 
to trump a trick that is surely against you. 

The trump signal is an imperative command to 
your partner to lead trumps at his earliest oppor- 
tunity. It should be watched for closely, from both 
adversaries and partner, in the beginning; after a 
time its observance becomes purely mechanical. 

In leading trumps in response to your partner's 
trump signal, holding two or three trumps lead the 
highest ; holding more than three, lead the fourth 
best. The only exception to this is, when you hold 
the Ace. In this case you lead the Ace, irrespect- 
ive of the number that you have in suit. Having 
led the highest of three trumps and taken the trick, 
you continue with your next highest. Having led 
the Ace from four or more, continue with your origi- 
nal fourth best. 



CONCISE WHIST. 



THE ECHO. 

The echo is a trump signal which is played upon 
your partner's or your adversary's lead of trumps, or 
upon plain suits after your partner has signalled for 
trumps. 

It is intended to show your partner, if he is either 
leading trumps or signalhng for them, that you hold 
at least four. This will often prevent him from lead- 
ing trumps the third time. 

If you play the echo upon your adversaiy's lead 
of trumps it simply shows your partner that you had 
four trumps originally, and trumps having been led 
three times, that you remain with one which he is at 
liberty to force. 



SECTION XVII. 



RUFFING OR TRUMPING IN, AND FORCING. 

If you refuse to trump, or overtrump, on a trick 
that must otherwise win, it should indicate, either 
that you have no trumps, or that you have four trumps 
with an estabUshed suit, or four trumps with a gen- 
erally strong hand. You should not refuse to trump 
in these cases, even if you find that the adversary 
has entire command of the suit, or if you think that 
your partner wishes to force you. 

If you are weak in trumps, it is not advisable to 
pass a doubtful trick even. Thus, being weak in 
trumps, you trump in second hand, on the second 
round of a suit ; if your partner has the command- 
ing card, you have not only made a trick, but you 
have strengthened his hand by leaving him in com- 
mand of that suit. 

If your adversary has declared strength in trumps, 
either by signalling, or refusing to trump, do not 
hesitate to force him, and thus weaken his hand. 
(52) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



S3 



With strength in trumps in your own hand, you 
can force your partner by leading him a losing card 
in a suit that he has renounced. 

You can also force your partner, when weak in 
trumps, if he has already shown weakness, as by 
trumping a doubtful card. 



SECTION XVIII. 



GENERAL REMARKS ON THE GAME. 

Attention should always be paid to the state of the 
score. This may materially affect your play of a 
hand. With the score 4-0 against you, you would 
naturally take greater risks than if it were in your fa- 
vor. Likewise, having but one to make to win the 
game, you would not attempt a dangerous game, the 
success of which might gain you three or four tricks, 
when, by playing in a more conservative way, you 
would be sure of the necessary one. So, seeing 
your partner with an Honour, and having two your- 
self, you should strive to make the three tricks nec- 
essary to carry you out. 

It is often advisable to return your adversary's 
lead, when, by so doing, you lead up to weakness. 
For example : A and ^ are playing against Xand K 
A leads a low card to who plays the Knave, third 
hand. F playing fourth hand takes the trick with 

(54) 



CONCISE WHIST. 



55 



the Queen, and returns a low one of the same suit. 
If A led from the King, he will not dare to put it on 
second hand, and X need only play a Ten to gain 
the trick, retaining the Ace over A's King. 

It is often likewise advisable to play false cards, 
/. not the cards you would naturally play under 
the circumstances. This should only be done when 
the risk of deceiving your partner is small, and the 
chances of gain from deceiving your adversaries pro- 
portionately large. Thus, having Queen and one 
other, by playing Queen first to your adversary's 
lead of the King, you may induce him to change his 
lead to one that is better for your game. Or again, 
when your adversaries are leading trumps, by dis- 
carding from a weak suit instead of from your strong 
one, you iTiay induce them to avoid leading that suit, 
crediting you with strength, and giving you a chance 
to make tricks in your real strong suit. On the other 
hand, when you are leading trumps, you must be on 
your guard against such play. 

The thirteenth card, when led, is often a stumbling- 
block to many players. The play of both second 



56 



CONCISE WHIST. 



and third hand in such a case is dependent upon 
their strength in trumps. Second hand may be able 
to trump high enough to gain the trick ; this he does 
if he thinks that his partner is strong in trumps, or if 
he has but a single high card, not in command. Or 
second hand may trump, in order to force third hand 
if he thinks that the latter is strong in trumps. 

Third hand passes the thirteenth card, if he thinks 
that his partner is weak in trumps. By so doing 
he plays fourth liand to the next trick, a more ad- 
vantageous position. 

It should be remembered that the established rules 
and principles of the game of whist have been for- 
mulated to enable you to give your partner such in- 
formation that you can jointly play your hands to the 
best advantage. Yet, having acquired these rules, 
you should not make the mistake which very good 
players often make, of always binding yourself by 
them, to the exclusion of good judgment and expe- 
rience. The fall of the cards during the hand some- 
times gives such information as to make it unwise to 
follow rules that would ordinarily obtain. For ex- 



CONCISE WHIST. 



57 



ample, the lead of a singleton in trumps. Having 
established your strong suit and holding high cards 
in the other suits, or with your partner's suit estab- 
hshed, it is often wise to lead trumps when you have 
but one. Upon your partner's return of that lead, 
you draw two trumps for one ; your partner, seeing 
you have no more, will continue leading them at his 
next opportunity, knowing you have a strong suit or 
suits to bring in. 

The play, in detail of a few elementary hands is 
appended, simply to illustrate the leads of Ace, 
Queen, Knave, etc., and to give instances of un- 
blocking, trump signal and discard. These hands 
are not intended to show complicated or technical 
play, but to aid the whist student in his application 
of the fundamental principles of the game. 

A. and B. play against X. and Y. 

Y. is always supposed to have dealt, therefore 

A. leads, the play proceeding in the order of A. X. 
B. and Y. 



SIX ELEMENTARY HANDS 



WHIST, 



ILLUSTRATING LEADS, DISCARD, TRUMP SIGNAL, 
ECHO AND UNBLOCKING. 



HAND I. 



LEADS OF ACE. TRUMP SIGNAL. 
S. Kn. 5. 2. 
H. Q. 10. 9. 7. 

C. K. 10. 3. 2. 

D. Kn. 9. 

S. Q. 8. 6. X S. A. K. 9. 7. 

H. K. 8. 4. H. Kn. 

C. 6. A B C. 9- 7- 5- 4. 

D. A. K. 10.5.3. D. 7. 6. 4. 

Y 

S. 10. 4. 
H. A. 6. 5. 3. 2. 

C. A. Q. Kn. 8. 

D. Q. 8. 



2. 



Y. turns the 4 of Spades. 

(60) 



THE PLAY. 

TRICK. LEADER. 

I. A. A. d. 9. d. 4. d. 8. d. 

B. does not begin a signal for trumps, think- 
ing his partner may have led from Ace and 
four small, and being otherwise weak him- 
self. Here he was wrong. He should have 
played the 6. Then he could have signalled 
or not upon the second round. 





A 

XX. 


X\.. U.. XVil. U.. U. Li. V^. U.. 


3- 


A 

ri. 


4. n. 7. n. ±s.n. n. A. n. 


A 

4* 


Y. 




5. 


Y. 


Q. c. 6. s. 3. c. 4. c. 






Y. follows A. c. with Q., having but four in 






suit. B. has now signalled for trumps. 


6. 


A. 


Q. S. 2. s. 3. s. 4. S. 






A. leads in response to signal, the higher of 






two. 


7- 


A. 


8. S. 5. S. K. S. 10. S. 


8. 


B. 


A. s. 2. h. 8. h. Kn. s. 






B. now leads to his partner the 7 of dia- 






monds and A. makes his diamonds and B. his 






trumps, winning the rest of the tricks. 






A. B. z= II tricks. 






X. Y. = 2 


A. 


B. win 


two by Honour, and five by card, 



carrying them out. 

(61) 



HAND II. 

LEADS OF THE QUEEN. 

C. 8. 6. 

D. K. Q. 7. 6. 
S. K. 6. 3. 

H. 10. 9. 6. 2. 

C. 10. X C. A. Kn. 9. 

D. A. Kn. 5. 4. D. 10. 8. 
S. Q. Kn. 10. 9. A B S. 8. 7. 4. 

2. 

H. Kn. 7. 5. Y ^- A- Q- 

C. K. Q. 7. 5. 4. 3. 2. 

D. 9. 3. 2. 
S. A. 5. 
H. 8. 



Y. turns the 4 of Clubs. 

(62) 



THE PLAY. 



TRICK. LEADEK. 



I. 


A. 


Q. s. 3. s. 4. s. A. s. 


2. 


Y. 


Q. c. 10. c. 6. c. A. c. 


3- 


±5. 


n. 0. n. 5* 2* ^* 


4- 


B. 


A. n. 2. c. 7. n. 6. h. 






B. having" led Q. h. from five exactly, fol- 






lows with A. 


5- 


Y. 


K. c. 4. d. 8. c. 9. C. 


6. 


Y. 


3. c. 2. s. 9. h. Kn. c. 


7- 


B. 


8. s. 5. s. 9. s. K. s. 






B. returns to his partner the hi^^hest of two 






remaining. 


8. 


X. 


K. d. 8. d. 2. d. A. d. 


9- 


A. 


Kn. h. 10 h. 3. h. 4. c. 



A leads to force Y. 



10. Y. 9. d. 5. d. Q. d. 10. d. 

Y. returns liighest of two. 
Whichever way X. now leads, X. Y. can 
make but two more tricks. 

X. Y. = 8 tricks. 
A. B. = 5 - 

Honours are easy, i, e,, neither side scores them, 
and X. Y. win two points in that game. 

(63) 



HAND III. 



LEADS OF THE KNAVE AND TEN. TRUMP SIGNAL. 

H. A. 9, 

C. 7. 6. 

D. K. Kn. 10. 5. 2. 
S. 9. 7. 5. 2. 

H. 7. 4- 2. X H. K. Q. Kn. 

C. 8. 4. 10. 5. 

D. Q. 7. 6. A B C. A. 10. 9. 2. 
S. A. K. Q. Kn. D. 4. 

6. Y ^- ^- 4- 

H. 8. 6. 3. 

C. K. Q. Kn. 5. 3. 

D. A. 9. 8. 3. 
S.3- 



Y. turns the 6 of Hearts. 

(64) 



THE PLAY. 



TRICK. LEADER. 

1. A. Kn. s. 2. s. 8. s. 3. s. , 

2. A. A. s. 5. s. 4. s. 3. h. 

A. having led Kn. from Ace, K. Q. Kn. and 
one, follows with Ace. 

B. completes his signal for trumps. 

3. Y. Kn. c. 4. c. 6. c. A. c. 

4. B. 10. h. 6. h. 2. h. A. h. 

5. X. 10. d. 4. d. A. d. 6. d. 

6. Y. K. c. 8. c. 7. c. 2. c. 

Y. having led Kn. from exactly five cards, 
follows with K. 

7. Y. Q. c. 4. h. 9. h. 9. c. 

8. X. K. d. 5. h. 3. d. 7. d. 

X. having forced Ace of diamonds with 10, 
follows with K. from five. 

9. B. Q. h. 8. h. 7. h. 2. d. 
10. B. 10. s. 3. c. Q. s. 7. s. 

A leads K. s. and B. makes the last two 
tricks or trumps. 

A. B. = 8 tricks. 
X. Y. zzz 5 " 

A. B. score two by Honour and two by card. 

3 (65) 



HAND IV. 

LEAD OF FOURTH BEST. 

D. K. 

C. A. 7. 3. 
H. Q. 6. 5. 

S. Q. 10. 9. 8. 3. 2. 

D. A.Q. 5. X D. Kn. 8. 3. 

C. Q. 8. C. K. Kn. 10. 9. 

A B 6. 5. 2. 

H. A. Kn.9. 8. 2. H. K. 10. 

S. A. 7. 4. Y S. Kn. 

D. 10. 9. 7. 6. 4. 2. 
C. 4. 

H. 7. 4. 3. 
S. K. 6. 5. 



Y. turns the 4 of Diamonds. 
(66) 



THE PLAY. 

TRICK. LEADER. 

1. A. A. h. 5. h. 10. h. 3. h. 

2. A. 8. h. 6. h. K. h. 4. h. 

A. having led the Ace, follows with his orig- 
inal fourth hest, the 8. 

B. can now count in A's hand, the 2. 9. and 
either Q. or Kn. 



1 
o* 


B. 


9. c. 4. c. 


0. c. 


A. c. 






B. leads 9. from seven cards, showing three 






higher. 






4. 


X. 


8. s. Kn. S. 


K. s. 


A. s. 


5- 


A. 


2. h. Q. h. 


3. d. 


7.h. 






B. cannot liave Q., having played K. last 






time; therefore A. forces him. 


6. 


B. 


10. C. 2. d. 


8. c. 


3. c. 


7- 


Y. 


6. d. 5. d. 


K. d. 


8. d. 


8. 


X. 


Q. s. Kn. d. 


5. s. 


4. s. 


9- 


B. 


Kn. c. 4. d. 


Q. d. 


7. c. 


10. 


A. 


Kn. h. 2. s. 


2. c. 


7. d. 


TI. 


Y. 


9. d. A. d. 


3. s. 


5. c. 






Whichever way A. leads 


now, X. Y. make 






the two last tricks. 







A. B. = 7 tricks. 
X. Y. = 6 score tricks. 
B. win two by Honour and one by card, 
or three on the game. 

(67) 



HAND V. 



DISCARD, FALSE CARDS, LEADING UP TO WEAKNESS. 



S. A. Q. 10.6.3. X S. K. 8. 



Y 

S. 5. 2. 

D. K. Kn. 8. 7. 

C. A. 9.5. 

H. A. K. 10. 9. 



Y. turns 5 of Spades. 

(68) 



S. Kn. 9. 7. 4. 
D. A. 9. 
C. Kn. 10. 3. 2. 
H. Q. 6. 4. 



D. Q. 6. 5. 
C. 8. 7. 
H. Kn. 8. 5 



A 



D. 10, 4. 3. 2. 
g C. K. Q. 6. 4. 
H. 7. 3. 2. 



THE PLAY. 

TEICK. LEADER. 



I. 


A. 


6. 


s. 


4- 


s. 


K. s. 


2. 


s. 


2. 


B. 


8. 


s. 


5- 


s. 


Q,s. 


7- 


s. 


3- 


A. 


A. 


s. 


9- 


s. 


2. h. 


5- 


c. 



B. discards from weakness on his partner's 
lead of trunjps. 

Y. discards a club (false card) to induce A. 
to lead diamonds. 

4. A. 5. d. 9. d. 10. d. Kn. d. 

5. Y. K. h. 5.h. 4. h. 3. h. 

6. Y. A. h. 8. h. 6. h. 7. h. 

7. Y. 10. h. Kn. h. Q. h. 2. d. 

8. X. 2. c. 4. c. A. c. 7. c. 

B. does not play Q. c. second hand, thinking 
Y. to have discarded from strength. 



9- 


Y. 


7. d. 6. d. 


A. d. 3. d. 






Y. leads a diamond up to weakness. 


10. 


X. 


3. c. Q. c. 


9. c. 8. c. 


II. 


B. 


K. c. 8. d. 


Q. d. 10. c. 


12. 


B. 


6. c. 9. h. 


3. s. Kn. s. 


13- 


X. 


Kn. c. 4. d. 


K. d. 10. s. 



X. and Y. win one by card. 

(69) 



HAND VI. 

UNBLOCKING. 

D. Q. 3. 
S. 8. 

H. Q. Kn. 10. 9. 8. 

C. Q. Kn. 10. 9. 8. 

D. Kn. 10. 9. 6. X D. A. K. ; 

S. A. K. 10. 7.5. S. Q. 9. 6 

4. 3. A B 

H. H. 6. 5. 3 

C. A. 7. Y C. K. 3. 

D. 8. 7. 4. 2. 
S. Kn. 

H. A. K. 7. 4. 
C. 6. 5. 4. 2. 



Y. turns the 7 of Diamonds. 

^70) 



THE PLAY. 

TRICK. LEADER. 

1. A. A. s. 8. s. 6. s. Kn. s. 

B. commences to unblock, playing 6 not 2. 

2. A. 6. d. 3. d. K. d. 4. d. 

A. leads trumps to protect his suit. 
Y. having four commences an echo. 



3- 


B. 


A.d. 2. d. 


9. d. 


Q. d. 






Y. completes his 


echo. 




4- 


A. 


Kn. d. 8. c. 


5. d. 


7. d. 


5- 


A. 


10. d. 8. h. 


2.h. 


8. d. 


6. 


A. 


K. s. 9. c. 


9.S. 


4. h. 






B. continues to unblock. 




7- 


A. 


7. s. 9. h. 


Q. s. 


2. C. 



X. does not keep his hearts, thinking Y. has 
discarded from strength. 

B. has the 2. s. now left, with which to give 
A. the lead and enable him to make his re- 
maining spades. 



8. 


B. 


2. 


s. 


4. c. 


10. s. 


10. h. 


9- 


A. 


5- 


s. 


Kn. h. 


3. h. 


5- c. 


10. 


A. 


4- 


s. 


Q. h. 


5-h. 


7. h. 


II. 


A. 


3- 


s. 


10. c. 


6. h. 


6. c. 


12. 


A. 


A. 


c. 


Kn. c. 


3. c. 


K. h. 


13- 


A. 


7- 


c. 


Q. c. 


K. c. 


A. h. 



A. B. win all thirteen tricks. " 
A. B. ziz 13 tricks. 
X. Y. = . 

(70 



